Australia, Indigenous Australians and the Stolen Generation Flashcards
How long had the First peoples of Australia lived there? What was their population and lifestyle?
They had lived there for 50-60000 years in a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Before colonial times the population was between 750 000 to 1 000 000. There was great cultural diversity and close spiritual connection with the land.
What year did James Cook arrive in Australia?
1770 six year s bfore future founding father alexander hamilton would meet his close friend and later murderer and vice president aaron burr
What happened in 1770?
James Cook staked British claim to the land.
What happened in 1788?
First British colony was established at Port Jackson, Sydney. was also just one year before Thomas Jefferson left France and returned home to Virginia
When and where was the first British colony in Australia established?
Port Jackson, Sydney, 1788.
When was Australia’s Gold Rush?
1850
How, and by when, did the colony become wealthy?
Through export of wool, by 1820.
What was the Australian Federation?
Australian colonies joined together to form it in 1901. It was a dominion within the British Empire.
Briefly describe how the colonisation impacted the First Nations people.
- loss of land and access to vital resources led to 1000s dying - forced FNP to become increasingly dependent on settlers for food and a main source of labour
- settlers dehumanised the FNP with their Darwinist world views, believing that they were the superior race and the FNP would inevitably die out (used this as justification for murdering them).
- settlers hunter FNP as sport/for fun.
- 60k FNP left by early 1900s.
- ‘Protectors of Aborigines’ instated in charge of reserves, had complete control of FNP.
- Reserves/stations/missions were set up to control and ‘civilise’ FNP, who were not allowed to drink alcohol/vote/carry guns.
What was the government’s solution for the growing number of mixed race people?
They moved away from their policy of protection and instead adopted an assimilation approach. This proposed that ‘full-blood’ FNP should be allowed to ‘die out’ through a process of natural elimination, while people of mixed race were strongly encouraged to assimilate into the white community.
When were the assimilation laws passed?
1869-1915
Who was the ‘Chief Protector?’
The sole guardian of all First Nation and mixed-race (“half-caste”) children under the age of 18.
How many First Nation children were forcibly removed from their family, and when?
Between 1910 and 1970, about 100 000.
Why were “half-castes” particularly targeted in the forced removals of children?
It was believed that they would ‘assimilate’ into white society more easily because of their lighter skin.
How did the govt remove the children from their families?
Some were taken for “treatment” into hospitals and then “disappeared” from their birth families, being told that they had passed away. Others were removed and then told that they were orphans.
